Several instances of discrepancies have come to fore with regard to the distribution of financial relief to the victims of recent flooding in the city, especially in the Old Malakpet area flooded by the Musi River.
Quite a few families have claimed that they had received only ₹ 5,000 in place of the ₹10,000 announced by the government, while people who have not experienced inundation too were reportedly offered more than the allotted amount. “I stay in the same house with my four brothers and their families. Officials arrived and offered ₹ 50,000, calculated at ₹10,000 per family. And come to think of it, my house was not even affected during the floods,” said Syed Bilal, a social activist who stays in the Shankar Nagar basti. He claims that the distribution in Old Malakpet is ridden with politics and those whoever questioned the same are being threatened.
“As per our survey, only 178 homes were affected in Shankar Nagar, and as per the MRO’s survey, the number was 200. But here, the undeserving too are being paid full compensation, while those who have been hit very badly by the flood are denied the same,” he complains. Mohammed Ayoob Qureshi, another resident of Shankar Nagar has lost all his belongings to the flood, yet received only ₹ 2,500 as his share. “Water entered waist deep, and our fridge and washing machine have conked out. We had to throw away even our clothes as they were full of sludge, and unusable. Staying away with relatives for a couple of days, later we found shelter in a mosque,” Mr. Qureshi related.
Officials who visited the home, however, gave ₹10,000 in total for the four families living in different portions of the same building, he said. Akbar Qureshi, resident of Padma Nagar, said he got only ₹5,000 in compensation for the loss suffered, but entries were made in the records that he had received ₹10,000. “They said, by grace of God I was getting even that amount, and I should be grateful for that. I lost my ration, mattresses, clothes, television, set-top box, and several valuables. Neighbours helped by giving shelter in their home, or else my wife and I would have perished,” he said.
Bibi Reshma, another resident of Padma Nagar said her family, one among the two tenants in the building, got ₹5,000, within which to recompense her loss of cooler, refrigerator and washing machine. Women were seen on a video clip, vouching that they had received only ₹5,000. Residents under the condition of anonymity also complained that they were asked to produce ration card too in addition to Aadhaar for disbursement of relief.
Officials from GHMC, however, denied all the allegations and said details along with photos were uploaded on to the app, which functioned on the basis of the house numbers. However, relief was distributed to all houses in the affected localities, irrespective of whether a home was inundated or not, they said.
